Are you letting down your managers?

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Only 28% of employees would recommend their manager to others and just 29% of managers feel supported by their organization to be better people leaders.

What can HR do to improve manager effectiveness and increase employee engagement, productivity, and retention?

The importance of manager effectiveness is well-established, but it isn’t always easy to measure or improve.

While a significant percentage of employees would not recommend their managers, effective managers have been shown to drive superior business outcomes by fostering engagement, productivity, commitment, and resilience in their teams. On the other side of the equation, ineffective managers actively hinder team performance and organizational success.

Supported managers feel more confident

Managers that say their company supports them in being a better manager are almost three times more likely to say they feel confident in their skills as a manager.

How can HR support managers to be better leaders?

Supporting managers to be better leaders requires consistent training and the right tools. People leaders who receive at least quarterly manager training are 46% more likely to feel supported than those trained just once a year. They are three times more likely to feel supported than those who have never received manager training.

What tools support manager effectiveness?

Employees at companies with an always-on anonymous listening tool such as a chatbot are 27% more likely to say they would recommend their manager compared to average. Those with a recognition platform are 18% more likely to recommend their manager. In fact, employees who say their company uses the Achievers recognition platform are 53% more likely than average to say they would recommend their manager.

These tools also increase the likelihood that managers feel supported. An always-on listening tool increases feelings of support by 35% while Achievers users are 55% more likely to feel supported, compared to average.

How is manager success measured?

Manager success is measured inconsistently and 70% of managers are not clear on what metrics are most important, according to the latest AWI data. Most HR leaders believe managers are measured on team engagement, performance, and retention, while managers are more likely to say that employee reviews are the main measure of their success in their role. Manager effectiveness should be measured on a range of metrics from meeting core objectives to team engagement and sentiment.

What levers can HR leaders pull to affect manager effectiveness?

The levers that HR leaders can pull to affect manager effectiveness are clear: regular, high-quality contact; frequent, meaningful recognition; supportive, empathic coaching; and clear, consistent professional development. These are inputs and outcomes that can be trained and measured.

Manager effectiveness is the ultimate ripple in the pond. If an organization can increase their manager net promoter score (mNPS) by 10 percentage points they will see an outsized improvement in engagement, productivity, and job commitment.

Download the manager effectiveness infographic today for more insights on where organizations are letting down their people leaders and how HR can make strategic improvements to increase manager effectiveness, driving employee engagement, productivity, and retention.